Universal Language
by Nells729
Summary: One shot. Danny learns something new for Mindy.


"Rosetta Stone, Danny? I think you're too old to learn a new language. You barely have English right. It's Swatz-tik-aaaah. Not Swatz-tik-errr." Mindy sounded out.

"Get out, Mindy. I'm busy." Danny hurriedly took the book off of his desk, angry at himself for bringing it with him to work. He should have known that Mindy would come into his office. This needed needed to be a surprise.

"Busy? Um, I doubt that. It's 6:15 p.m. and we both know that you have no social life outside of this building. I just checked your schedule anyway. You're free. Now get up, you're coming with me to the international food market." Mindy sighed.

"Hm, offend me and then demand my presence? Probably not the best way to get what you want. Just a thought." Danny said offended.

"I have not offended you, little man. I merely stated the facts. Whatever, just get up and let's go. I have to get groceries and I hate going to that place alone. The men undress me with their eyes." Mindy argued. "Come on, you can show me just how cultured you are, Mr. I Have Been with Every Race Woman. Ugh. You slut."

"And back to the name calling. You're not gaining brownie points here, Mindy. Seriously, I am busy. I have plans tonight. Um, I have someone coming in from out of town and um...I have to cook...and clean...and well, make sure the toilet paper is in the correct way. Over and not under..." He dragged his words out and Mindy looked impatiently back to him.

"Seriously? You are a shitty liar. Now get up. Come on." She was grabbing his jacket before he could protest any further. She walked out of his office and he followed obediently behind as always. He quickly returned to gather the remaining books which were still scattered across his desk and placed them into his satchel.

"Tell me again, Min. Why am I here?" Danny asked while looking around the crowded market. The air was full of exotic scents and sights.

"Because, Danny, I don't know what to get for tomorrow. She gets here at noon and I have nothing in my fridge...my apartment for that matter! You need to tell me what's good to eat."

"You are asking the Italian man what to get for your Indian mother? You see the problem with this, right?" Danny mumbled.

"Ugh. This is depressing." Mindy rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air, almost hitting a passerby.

"She knows you don't even cook, why bother even trying? Just take her somewhere nice for dinner while she's here? Problem solved." Danny asked hurriedly. This place was too crowded for his taste. He should have known that Mindy would drag him to the most populated spot in all of New York.

"Because, Danny, I have tried that the past two times she has visited me and there's only so many times I can introduce the same Thai place as 'a must see'. She hates Thai."

Mindy was frustrated. She absolutely loved when her mother visited her in the city but hated the constant questions that came along with every visit. She knew the drill by heart: Nice to see you, are you seeing anyone, when will you give me grandkids? Never failed.

"Take her somewhere nice. Somewhere Italian." Danny half grinned at her.

Mindy's eyes shot open in excitement. "Oh my goodness. That's perfect! We can go to your place tomorrow night! We can pick up the ingredients here tonight and I'll obviously help with whatever you need me to, but that's perfect! An authentic Italian meal! She will love that!"

"What? Wait, no...that's not what I said at all. I said 'take her somewhere Italian'. I am pretty sure that's what I said, Min. I have met your mother before, Min, she's a nice lady and I have nothing against her, but..." Danny tried to back pedal. He was desperately trying to dig himself out of this one.

Mindy only looked at him with eyebrows furrowed. "But...what?" She placed a hand to her hip.

Danny sighed and looked at her, his mouth gaping ever slightly open. "I already told you, out of town visitor...cleaning...toilet paper..." He began to rub the back of his neck and searching in his surroundings for the words which were evading his lips.

"Lies. Come on, Danny! You can be my buffer. She is only here for one day. Please?" She stepped in a bit closer to Danny, widening her eyes and pouting her lips.

"Fine. Fine!" He frantically waved his hands in surrender. Again. "But you're not helping me cook! You would get in the way. Let me handle it, you just show up and I'll have dinner ready. I am doing this for your mom, Min and not for you. Just so we are clear..." He tried his best to look dead serious but knew Mindy wasn't buying it for a second.

Danny swiftly made his way through the market and within twenty minutes, had picked up each and every ingredient that he needed to prepare tomorrow's dinner. He prided himself in his food.

They parted ways and Danny made it to his apartment. As he did, he took out his disc man ( yes, he still owns one ), shoved the earbuds in and sat down on his sofa. He quickly opened his book and opened the page where he had left off earlier today. He flipped through the volume in his hand, Rosetta Stone Introduction to Hindi Level 1 and began to repeat in unison with the female voice playing in his ears. "Nahhh - Mahhh - Steh" repeating over and over. He occasionally smiled at the thought of Mindy's reaction tomorrow.

* * *

He was finishing up with dinner, occasionally glancing through his Rosetta Stone for additional refreshers when his phone buzzed.

"On our way. Be there in 10." Mindy was on time for once. That must be her mother's doing, he thought.

Before he knew it, Mindy was crossing the threshold of his apartment, followed by her mother.

Mrs. Lahiri smiled warmly to Danny as he showed her around his apartment. From the beginning, she had taken a very strong liking to Danny. She could see how much he cared and looked after her daughter and truly appreciated all that he did for her. She pretended not to notice the sparkle in his eyes when Mindy smiled at him or the deep sighs when she walked passed him every so often or even the longing look in his eyes when he thought that no one was looking. She pretended...but not really. She didn't mind the gestures of affection that she could appreciate yet felt Mindy was so oblivious to. She didn't mind how he always tried his best to please not only Mundy, but her as well. Mrs. Lahiri was fond of Danny Castellano, her daughter's faithful friend.

This unique fondness was definitely not one sided. Danny felt a strong affection for this older woman as well. They had the same strong sense of family bond, traditional values but most importantly, they found common ground in regards to Mindy. They each wanted what was best for her. Danny had known from the first time meeting this woman that she respected him. To Danny, that meant the world (well, besides Mindy of course). Deep inside, he was super excited to be doing this tonight. It made his house feel, well, more like a home. Sure, this was Mindy's mother and not his obviously, but somehow there was a sense of home tonight, of family.

"So, Daniel, you made this all yourself? From scratch? I can't wait to taste it!"Mindy's mother exclaimed as she arranged the first taste o to the fork.

"I would have helped but he didn't let me." Mindy chimed in, almost guiltily.

"Yeah, well, Mrs. Lahiri, as we both know, Mindy isn't made out for the kitchen. She would likely burn the place down. We will leave those able hands to the operating room. She delivered two beautiful twin girls today." Danny couldn't help but to poke fun at his coworker turned friend, but decided that Mindy needed a bit of a compliment as well. He could safely presume she had already endured a good hour or more of questions about why she was still single.

Mindy smiled genuinely to Danny, making a mental note to thank him later.

* * *

Dinner was finished and his guests were getting ready to leave.

He walked towards his living room where Mindy and Mrs. Lahiri had begun to peruse some of the artwork hanging on his walls. Among those expensive and classic works of art, hung his most prized possession: a simple drawing of two stick figures apparently sticking their tongues at each other. This was an original piece done by none other than Mindy herself, a gift she had framed and delivered to his house just last month. She explained it was a portrait of the two of them and had been offered as an olive branch of sorts. They had just gotten into a heated argument about his inability to laugh at life and her immaturity.

Danny laughed out loud as he walked towards the women. Mindy quickly turned and linked her arm into his, "Danny, you hung us up? It looks amazing in here. Probably the fanciest one of all." Danny couldn't break his eyes away from her wide grin.

Mrs. Lahiri smiled at the pair standing in front of her and then to the so-called portrait hanging on the wall. "What an accurate depiction of the two of you."

"Shukriya, Mrs. Lahiri." Danny beamed at the opportunity to surprise them both with his newly taught words.

Mindy shrieked and Mrs. Lahiri chuckled in response.

"Oh my goodness, Danny! Did you just say thank you in Hindi?" Mindy grabbed Danny by the arm and shook him enthusiastically, unable to stop smiling at him.

"Ji haan." Danny said slowly, unsure of himself.

"Shut up! Danny Castellano you are learning Hindi?! Mother, are you listening to this? Can you believe this guy?" Mindy continued to shake Danny's arm.

"I can believe it. Thank you, Danny for taking your time to learn even one word. It means so much."

Danny got the exact reaction he was going for. He stood smiling and feeling absolutely great.

"I have the best idea, Danny. You are totally teaching me Italian and I will teach you butchered Hindi."

"I bought the entire three level program. I fully expect to dominate the language by weeks' end." He responded.

"Nope. Not having that! I am teaching you, Dr. Castellano and you are teaching me Italian!"

Mrs. Lahiri looked on but said nothing, just nodding her head in general approval. I finally see myself having grandkids, she thought to herself. Little Italian - Indian grandkids...


End file.
